Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Russo.
BACKGROUND: Only three patients have been reported with basal cell carcinomas in skin involved with Darier's disease. OBJECTIVE: We report the fourth case and discuss the possible pathogenetic relationship between both diseases. RESULTS: In our case, oral retinoids made evident other basal cell carcinomas hidden in keratotic papules of the Darier's disease. CONCLUSION: Early excision of the tumor could be obtained.
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In the present paper recent results obtained in the field of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor (alpha 1AR) ligands are reported. Syntheses, alpha 1AR binding properties and structure-affinity relationships of tricyclic compounds containing the pyrimido-2,4-dione ring are described. Moreover, preliminary results on the binding properties of some derivatives for the recently cloned alpha 1AR subtypes expressed in COS-7 cells (alpha 1B, alpha 1C, alpha 1D) are discussed. Obtained data clearly indicate that some of the synthesized compounds are able to discriminate between the alpha 1B and the alpha 1C/alpha 1D adrenoceptor subclasses.
The authors provide evidence for the efficacy of the buflomedil-pentoxifylline-defibrotide combination for treatment of lower limb chronic obstructive arterial disease, Fontain stage II. Improvement of walking autonomy obtained with these agents ranged from 50 to 100% in 29 of 36 patients (relative frequency = 0.80).
The paper report a case of Seckel's syndrome in a girl aged 7 years and 2 months who was referred to the authors attention due to abdominal colic. Low birth weight together with a significant delay in weight and stature increase, microcephalia with the typical bird head and considerable mental retardation were sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. Interesting analogies were observed with another case of a patient with Seckel's syndrome born to an epileptic mother receiving antiepileptic treatment which was suspended during the second month of gestation. In the case presented here, no drugs were taken during pregnancy although the mother had received antiepilepsy treatment for years.
Critical ischemia of the lower limbs, the condition of decompensation of chronic obstructive arterial disease, is the upshot of a series of pathophysiologic events involving both the macrocirculatory and microcirculatory systems. It ist, however, the latter modulator of the decompensatory stage of arterial disease that conditions the severity and hence the anatomical and clinical pattern of ischemia.
Transcutaneous oxygen tension is a useful method with which to assess the functional status of skin blood flow. The reduced values observed in diabetic patients have been interpreted as a consequence of peripheral vascular disease. However, diabetic patients show lower transcutaneous oxygen tension values than control subjects with equivalent degrees of peripheral vascular disease, suggesting that additional factors are involved. Since the autonomic nervous system influences peripheral circulation, we studied the relationship between autonomic neuropathy and foot transcutaneous oxymetry in non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) patients without peripheral vascular disease. The following age-matched patients were selected and evaluated: control subjects, C, (n = 20), NIDDM patients without autonomic neuropathy, D, (n = 16) and with autonomic neuropathy, DN, (n = 20). All diabetic patients showed lower transcutaneous oxygen tension values than control subjects, while no differences were observed between the diabetic patients with and without autonomic neuropathy. In addition the saturation index that increases in the presence of autonomic neuropathy does not correlate with foot TcPO2. In conclusion autonomic neuropathy does not influence foot TcPO2 and therefore it is unlikely that it contributes to development of foot lesions during induction of foot skin ischaemia.
Estrogen receptors have been found in normal and neoplastic gastrointestinal mucosa. The aim of our study was to verify whether the content of cytosolic estrogen receptor in normal and neoplastic tissue has a prognostic value in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Eighty consecutive patients entered the study, and their follow-up was complete because none were lost to follow-up. Estrogen receptors were evaluated by an enzymatic immunoassay. Fifty-four percent of neoplastic samples and 84% of samples from surrounding mucosa showed an estrogen receptor content higher than 1.0 fmol/mg of cytosolic proteins (cut point for positive/negative hormone receptor status). Estrogen receptor levels were lower in neoplastic tissue than surrounding mucosa (1.2 +/- 1.05 fmol/mg protein vs 2.07 +/- 1.36 fmol/mg protein, respectively, t test P = 0.001). The survival of patients with estrogen receptor expression in uninvolved surrounding mucosa was longer than that of patients without estrogen receptor in the same type of mucosa (log rank test, P < 0.01). In the neoplastic tissue, receptor status had no prognostic value (log rank, P = 0.8). After taking into account the most important potential confounders by using the Cox proportional hazard model, the estrogen receptor status in normal mucosa samples maintained an independent prognostic value. These results support an association between the estrogen receptor status in normal mucosa and survival of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.
The loop of Henle (LOH) reabsorbs approximately 15% of filtered HCO3- via a luminal Na(+)-H+ exchanger and H+ATPase. During acute metabolic alkalosis (AMA) induced by i.v. HCO3- infusion, we have observed previously inhibition of LOH net HCO3- reabsorption (JHCO3-), which contributes to urinary elimination of the HCO3- load and correction of the systemic alkalosis. To determine whether the activities of the Na(+)-H+ exchanger and/or H(+)-ATPase are reduced during AMA, two inhibitors believed to be sufficiently specific for each transporter were delivered by in vivo LOH microperfusion during AMA. AMA reduced LOH JHCO3- from 205.0 +/- 10.8 to 96.2 +/- 11.8 pmol.min-1 (P < 0.001). Luminal perfusion with bafilomycin A1 (10(-4) mol.l-1) caused a further reduction in JHCO3- by 83% and ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA; 5.10(-4) mol.l-1) completely abolished net HCO3- reabsorption. The combination of bafilomycin A1 and EIPA in the luminal perfusate was additive, resulting in net HCO3- secretion (-66.6 +/- 20.8 pmol.min-1; P < 0.001) and abolished net fluid reabsorption (from 5.0 +/- 0.6 during AMA to 0.2 +/- 1.1 nl.min-1; P < 0.001). To establish whether HCO3- secretion via luminal stilbene-sensitive transport mechanism participates in LOH adaptation to AMA, we added diisothiocyanato-2,2'-stilbenedisulphonate (DIDS; 10(-4) mol.l-1) to the perfusate. No effect was found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was investigated by an enzyme immunoassay in neoplastic tissue and surrounding mucosa from 43 patients with colorectal cancer. This study found a positivity of 86% in normal samples and a positivity of 93% in neoplastic ones. In normal tissue samples, EGFR levels were 162 +/- 129 ng Ab B/mg protein, while in colorectal neoplastic samples EGFR levels were 228 +/- 135 ng Ab B/mg protein. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between the EGFR levels in neoplastic tissue and those in surrounding mucosa (r = 0.75). In 5 of 43 patients, the EGFR was evaluated also by Western blotting with three different anti-EGFR antibodies, of which one was biotin-conjugated. The presence of a 170-kDa band was detected. Moreover, by using the anti-EGFR mAb biotin conjugate a 90-kDa band was also detected.
The loop of Henle contributes to renal acidification by reabsorbing about 15% of filtered bicarbonate. To study the effects on loop of Henle bicarbonate transport (JHCO3) of acid-base disturbances and of several factors known to modulate sodium transport, these in vivo microperfusion studies were carried out in rats during: (a) acute and chronic metabolic acidosis, (b) acute and chronic (hypokalemic) metabolic alkalosis, (c) a control sodium diet, (d) a high-sodium diet, (e) angiotensin II (AII) intravenous infusion, (f) simultaneously intravenous infusion of both AII and the AT1 receptor antagonist DuP 753, (g) acute ipsilateral mechanicochemical renal denervation. Acute and chronic metabolic acidosis increased JHCO3; acute metabolic alkalosis significantly reduced JHCO3, whereas chronic hypokalemic alkalosis did not alter JHCO3. Bicarbonate transport increased in animals on a high-sodium intake and following AII administration, and the latter was inhibited by the AII (AT1) receptor antagonist DuP 753; acute renal denervation lowered bicarbonate transport. These data indicate that bicarbonate reabsorption along the loop of Henle in vivo is closely linked to systemic acid-base status and to several factors known to modulate sodium transport.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of autonomic neuropathy on toe blood pressure (TBP), a parameter used currently as an ischemic index. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The age-matched study subjects included 20 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with autonomic neuropathy (DN) and 10 NIDDM patients without autonomic neuropathy (D), assessed by standard cardiovascular tests and galvanic skin response, and 8 control subjects (C). None of the subjects had peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (ankle/brachial index 0.9-1.1. RESULTS: The TBP and toe/brachial index (TBI) were significantly lower in DN than in C and D (P < 0.01). The saturation index (SI), the ratio between foot venous and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), was significantly higher in DN than in C and D (P < 0.05). An inverse relationship was found between TBI and SI (r = 0.554, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The autonomic nervous system directly influences peripheral circulation. In diabetic patients without PVD, a failure of sympathetic fibers caused by autonomic neuropathy could lead to a reduction of TBP. Therefore, TBP cannot be used as an ischemic index in diabetic patients.
Pachydermodactyly is a rare form of digital fibromatosis. There are only 15 cases reported in the literature, all with a negative family history. Only one of the previously reported cases was a woman. We now report 2 female cases, mother and daughter, who, to the best of our knowledge, are the first patients with familial pachydermodactyly. The histological evolution of this disease over the years had not been previously reported.
We evaluated polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) levels, estrogen receptor concentrations, and their relationship in neoplastic tissue and surrounding mucosa from 30 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Cytosolic estrogen receptors were measured with an immunoenzymatic assay. Polyamine levels were evaluated with high-performance liquid chromatography. Estrogen receptor concentrations were statistically higher in surrounding mucosa than in neoplastic tissue (p = 0.023). Putrescine and spermidine levels and the spermidine to spermine ratio were statistically higher in neoplastic tissue than in surrounding mucosa (p < 0.004). Significant correlations were found between the levels of spermidine and total polyamines in neoplastic tissue and surrounding mucosa (r = 0.48, p = 0.014, and r = 0.45, p = 0.021, respectively). Polyamine levels were lower in estrogen-receptor-positive tumors than in estrogen-receptor-negative ones, although this decrease was statistically significant only in the case of spermine (p = 0.02). The significance of these findings is that the cellular activity of normal and neoplastic gastric mucosa may be partly controlled by estrogens.
The traditional medical treatment of atherosclerotic artery disease of the lower limbs with vasodilators, antiplatelet agents, hemorheologic agents and heparin has so far yielded only partly satisfactory results. In view of this, we have treated ten patients with lower limb arterial disease, Fontain stages III and IV, with a stable prostacyclin analogue, iloprost, with antiaggregant, vasodilating, and cytoprotective activity. Patients' mean age 73.6 +/- 9.9 yrs., M/F ratio 9/1. The drug was infused by peristaltic pump at dosages varying from 1.5 to 2 ng/kg body weight/min for 6 hours daily and for an average of 25 days. Our observations, albeit on a limited number of subjects, appear to confirm the good tolerability, and above all the efficacy of iloprost (relative number of patients improved: 0.70). Nevertheless, in our view, a hypertensive diabetic woman who under treatment developed a lower myocardial infarction deserves special attention. Data found in the literature do not allow us to hold iloprost responsible for this effect with any degree of certainty. However, the doubt remains that as a result of its vasodilating action the drug may have caused steal phenomena from the subendocardial to subepicardial districts, thus provoking the ischemic event.
The reaction of the 2-amino-substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles 9, 10 and the benzothiazoles 11, 12 with ethyl cyanoacetate is described. The obtained cyanoacetamide derivatives 13-16 gave the benzylidene derivatives 18-21 by condensation with benzaldehyde. 2-Phenyl-5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-7-one (17) was also obtained. Moreover, the preparation of 6,7,8,9-tetraydro-5H-1,3,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-b]quinazolin++ +-5-thio-derivatives 22-25 and N-(1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl-5-substituted)-3,4-5,6-tetrahydro-anthran ilic acids 26-29 is also described. All above compounds and compounds, related to them, 1-8 were tested for their analgesic and antiinflammatory activities and the pharmacological screening results are reported and discussed.
We analysed DNA extracted from liver biopsy specimens and serum samples from 42 HCV-RNA-positive/HBsAg-negative subjects with chronic hepatitis. Twenty-eight of them were anti-HBs/anti-HBc-positive (group A), while 14 were negative for all HBV markers (group B). HBV sequences were found in hepatic DNA of 12 cases (11 of group A, one of group B), but in the serum of only two cases of group A. Sequencing analysis of pre-core region of HBV-DNA showed the presence of wild-type HBV in three cases, HBeAg-defective HBV in three cases, and the coexistence of both viral populations in six cases. These results indicate that HBV and HCV infection may coexist in HBsAg-negative chronic hepatitis, particularly in anti-HBs/anti-HBc-positive patients. However, HBV replication appears suppressed in these cases, and this state of latency may involve both wild and HBeAg-defective HBV types.
A Doppler echocardiographic study was performed to evaluate the hemodynamic performances of small diameter CarboMedics aortic valves (CarboMedics, Inc., Austin, Tex.) in patients with a mismatch between the prosthetic valve and body surface area. Fourteen patients receiving either a 19 mm (n = 7) or a 21 mm valve (n = 7) prosthesis were studied. Only patients with a body surface area greater than 1.65 m2 were included in the study. Pulsed and continuous wave Doppler echocardiography was performed at rest and 2 minutes after treadmill exercise with the Bruce protocol. Peak and mean gradients across the valve prosthesis were estimated; effective orifice area, performance index, and discharge coefficient of the valve prosthesis were calculated. All patients achieved a significant increase in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and cardiac output with exercise. Mean gradients +/- standard deviation of the mean at rest and 2 minutes after exercise were 20.1 +/- 7.1 mm Hg and 21.8 +/- 9 mm Hg for the 19 mm prosthesis and 12.3 +/- 3.4 mm Hg and 15.9 +/- 3.9 mm Hg for the 21 mm prosthesis. The 19 mm valve prosthesis significantly increased the effective orifice area with exercise (1.02 +/- 0.2 versus 1.20 +/- 0.3; p < 0.05), whereas it was almost unmodified for the 21 mm valve (1.38 +/- 0.2 versus 1.39 +/- 0.3; p = not significant). Therefore, despite a similar increase in cardiac output with exercise, only the 21 mm valve prosthesis showed a significant increase in peak (25.4 +/- 5.2 versus 34.9 +/- 8.1 mm Hg) and mean gradient (p < 0.01). We conclude that small diameter CarboMedics valves have satisfactory hemodynamic performances even after strenuous exercise in patients with large body surface areas. The hemodynamic performances of the 19 mm valve prosthesis seem to be optimized with exercise.